B1KB04K1 - 406D9

EMISSION CONTROL EURO 3 - EOBD

1 - INTRODUCTION

The european parliament has specified new measures to be taken against air pollution by motor vehicle emissions .

This new (ec 98/69) directive is intended to introduce new requirements for petrol and diesel vehicles from 1st january 2000 .

1 - 1 - REMINDER CONCERNING DESIGNATIONS

This directive specifies :

• stricter limits for emission values according to homologation of exhaust pollutants
• stricter homologation procedure for measuring fuel evaporation
• the continuity of conformity checks of the production of new vehicles
• the production conformity check within the network
• the obligation to have an on-board diagnostics system (eobd)

1 - 2 - COUNTRIES CONCERNED

Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Finland, FRANCE, Greece, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Luxemburg, Norway, Holland, Portugal, United Kingdom, Sweden, Switzerland .

1 - 3 - TAX INCENTIVES

Certain countries grant tax incentives in order to meet the future emission control standard before it comes into force .

The designation is indicated by the symbol IF joined to that of the anticipated standard (Example : IF L5 ) .

Another form of tax incentive is based on legislation which, in terms of strictness, is pitched between the existing standard and the future one :

• german standard D3 (intermediate between euro 2 and euro 3)
• german standard D4 (ditto euro 4 without eobd)

1 - 4 - APPLICATION DATES FOR PRIVATE VEHICLES

2 - CONFORMITY IN PRODUCTION AND WITHIN THE NETWORK

The manufacturer must regularly be able to demonstrate to the authorities that he is taking measures to guarantee that production conforms to the approved model .

It must also be possible to confirm that the emission control mechanisms function correctly during the normal life of the vehicle .

The authorities regularly carry out audits at the manufacturer's premises; the manufacturer must be able to supply support documents concerning :

• checks carried out according to the statistical rules of the directive
• the details recorded by the eobd systems for the vehicles tested
• the test failures and the faults found
• the measures adopted to correct vehicles in production and within the network
• the details of recall campaigns undertaken

2 - 1 - CONFORMITY IN PRODUCTION

Conformity in production aims to check that the vehicles produced conform to the approved type .

The tests concern :

• average exhaust emissions after a cold start
• the emission of carbon monoxide at idle
• the emission of crankcase gases
• emission by evaporation
• the on-board diagnostic equipment (EOBD)

2 - 2 - CONFORMITY WITHIN THE NETWORK

Conformity within the network aims to check that customers' vehicles conform to fixed requirements for a minimum period, subject to maintenance of these vehicles being carried out correctly .

The responsibility of the manufacturer last for 80000 km or 5 years in 2000 ; it is planned for 100000 km in 2005 .

It comprises observation of the average level of exhaust emissions after a cold start and the functioning of the eobd .

The vehicles will be withdrawn from second-hand vehicle parcs, from dealerships and subsidiaries, or by calling in the customer (by letter) .

3 - DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMPOSITION OF FUELS

Today, the harmful effects of lead on the system and on the environment are known to all .

As from 01/01/2000, super leaded fuel will disappear and will be replaced by a super fuel containing a potassium additive of equivalent quality .

In addition, all of the fuels marketed in france will be more environmentally friendly, because of a drop in the benzene and sulphur content .

(*) Parts per million .

The petrol is divided as follows :

• unleaded 98 : 45 % of the market
• unleaded 95 : 25 % of the market

NOTE : as a concession for countries which had already made a justified request before 31/08/1999, distribution of super fuel can be authorised by the commission until 01/2005 .

4 - EOBD

4 - 1 - INTRODUCTION

Eobd (european on board diagnostics) is a european regulation accompanying the euro norm 3 .

The purpose of eobd is to indicate to the driver, by means of the engine diagnostics warning light, any fault affecting emission control because of a threshold being exceeded .

Obd is a monitoring software package incorporated in the engine management ecu and has two main functions :

• to detect the faults of the vehicle emission control equipment
• to indicate to the driver the faults which lead to an emission control threshold being exceeded, so that he can have the vehicle repaired

4 - 2 - ELEMENTS MONITORED

The ecu permanently monitors the elements essential for checking emissions : .

A) Petrol :

• misfiring
• the efficiency of the catalytic converter
• the condition of the oxygen sensors
• any component or system, the failure of which can cause the tolerated emission limits to be exceeded (air injection, egr, automatic gearbox)
• the continuity of the canister purge solenoid valve circuit

B) Diesel :

• the efficiency of the catalytic converter
• the functionality and reliability of the paticulate emission filter (if fitted)
• the continuity and total failure of the output and advance electronic actuators
• any component or system, the failure of which can cause the tolerated emission limits to be exceeded (egr, pre-heat, automatic gearbox)

4 - 3 - DETECTION THRESHOLDS

Detection thresholds are determined according to each pollutant .

In the event of exceeding the legislative threshold (failure), the engine diagnostics warning light comes on. the fault in question is memorised .

4 - 4 - LIGHTING OF THE ENGINE DIAGNOSTICS WARNING LIGHT (EOBD)

The engine diagnostics warning light indicates the failure of a component or a system relating to emissions, when this failure involves an increase in emissions with a level exceeding the legislative limits .

Misfiring threatening to damage the catalytic converter cause the engine diagnostics warning light to flash .

The engine diagnostics warning light is only used where there is a risk of damage to the engine or a safety risk for the occupants of the vehicle .

The light comes on at the end of 3 consecutive driving cycles (one driving cycle comprises starting the engine, a driving phase during which any malfunction would be detected, and switching off the engine) .

The diagnostics warning light goes out after 3 consecutive driving cycles, during which the monitoring system responsible for activation no longer detects any malfunction; the fault changes to intermittent .

The ecu can then clear the intermittent fault if, during 40 heating cycles, this fault has not reappeared .

A heating cycle is a period of vehicle operation which is sufficient for the engine temperature to increase by at least 22 ° from starting the engine, and for it to reach a minimum temperature of 70 ° .

Intermittent faults can also be cleared using the diagnostic equipment DIAG 2000 .

4 - 5 - ACCESS TO THE EOBD FAULT CODES

Access to the memorised fault codes is open to any professional technician having standardized diagnostic equipment called SCANTOOL whose ecu allows dialogue .

Access to the diagnostic modes is as follows :

• 01 : mode reading of the number of fault codes and the engine speed (dynamic)
• 02 : mode reading of the fixed info (associated variables)
• 03 : mode reading fault codes
• 04 : mode clearing of the fault codes

4 - 6 - CLEARING OF THE MANUFACTURING AND EOBD FAULT CODES

For all the ecus fulfilling the emission control standard L4 with the eobd active, it us necessary to inform the service area when each request to clear the memorised fault codes is made .

This signature is of the same type as the one which is stored in the identification zone of the ecu during downloading .

This information can be looked at using the diagnostic equipment under the history heading :

• total number of operations counter
• date of operation
• mileage of the vehicle at the time of the operation
• equipment for carrying out work
• site of work being carried out

Total number of operations counter : This information is useful, since it enables the number of operations carried out on the vehicle to be established .

Type of clearing : This information allows the type of tool which has cleared the fault codes to be established, from which it is known whether the operation has been carried out within the network or by an independent repairer .

5 - CONCLUSION

The directive 98/69 may be modified during the year 2000 .

Certain points are currently under discussion, in particular the eobd function for vehicles supplied with gas (lpg, gnv), as well as recording the mileage covered since the diagnostic warning light came on .

The future standard applicable from EURO 4, will impose even stricter measures (e.g. pollutant at measurement cycle at low temperature 01/2005) .